The present invention relates to the field of skate sharpening and more particularly, relates to improvements in skate sharpening machines.
The field of skate sharpening is replete with examples of various types of devices which may be used for sharpening skates. Such devices are required to be very precise.
As in most sports, the continual improvement of the athlete and the striving for new goals requires technically advanced equipment. In both figure skating and hockey, the skates and more particularly the blade are the point of contact for all movements and the science of the shape and configuration of the blade has advanced considerably. Thus, the bottom surface of the blade is required to have a convex configuration whereby the blade has two edges which extend downwardly and permit the skater to use either edge. In order to achieve this configuration, the skate sharpening device must be configured to provide this U-shaped configuration wherein the two edges are precisely the same and provide an angle of 90xc2x0 with respect to the side of the blade.
As skate blades differ from one pair to another, the sharpening of the skate blade to achieve the desired profile has long been regarded as an art to be practiced by the operator of the skate sharpening machine. The operator must first dress the stone to have the required configuration and then ensure that the center line of the stone and center line of the skate coincide. If not, an irregular convex configuration with one edge being higher/lower than the other may be achieved.
In order to accomplish the above, the operator of the skate sharpening device will usually perform a first test on a small portion of the skate at the front or rear of the blade and then make adjustments in the device. This may be repeated a number of times before the precise matching of the skate and stone is achieved.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a skate sharpening machine which provides for precise alignment of the center line of the sharpening stone and the skate blade to be sharpened.
In general, the device of the present invention utilizes a pair of gripping jaws designed to grip opposite sides of the skate blade, and which gripping jaws are operated from a single adjusting means such that, irrespective of the width of the skate blade, the centering of the stone and skate blade is assured.
In one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an improvement in a skate sharpening apparatus having a skate holding device, the improvement wherein the skate holding device, comprises first and second jaws for contacting opposite sides of a skate blade, first and second pivot arms each having first and second ends with each pivot arm being pivotably mounted intermediate the first and second ends, the first ends of each of the first and second pivot arms being connected to the first and second jaws respectively, actuating means for moving the second ends of each of the first and second pivot arms, the actuating means being operative to cause each of the pivot arms and the jaws to move an equal distance.
In a further aspect of the present invention, there is a provided a skate sharpening apparatus including a skate blade holding device, the skate blade sharpening device comprising a horizontally mounted sharpening wheel, means for rotatably driving the sharpening wheel, means for dressing the sharpening wheel, and a skate holding device comprising first and second jaws for contacting opposite sides of a skate blade, first and second pivot arms each having first and second ends with each pivot arm being mounted intermediate the first and second ends, the first ends of each of the first and second pivot arms being connected to the first and second jaws respectively, actuating means for removing the second ends from each of the first and second pivot arms, the actuating means being linearly driven and operative to cause each of the pivot arms and the jaws to move an equal distance, a center line of the linearly moveable actuating means extending in the same plane as a center line extending through the skate blade and a center line extending through the sharpening wheel.
In greater detail, the skate holding device according to a preferred embodiment of the invention includes an arrangement wherein the actuating means comprises first and second linking arms. Each of the linking arms are connected to the actuating means which are linearly driven. Conveniently, the linking arms may be mutually pivotably connected about a shaft. The opposite end of the linking arms are connected to the end of a respective pivot arm.
The pivot arms, as aforementioned, are pivotably connected intermediate their first and second ends with one end, as aforementioned, being connected to the linking arm and the other end being connected to a jaw.
Each of the jaw members preferably comprises a jaw plate member although each jaw is designed somewhat differently. For purposes of description herein, reference will be made to an upper jaw member and a lower jaw member as this is the preferred orientation of the device with respect to a sharpening apparatus. However, it will be understood that other orientations, with suitable adjustments, may be utilized.
The lower jaw plate member preferably has a flat jaw edge where it contacts the skate blade. Also, the lower jaw plate member is preferably not fixedly secured to the lower pivot arm, but rather rests thereon and is guided in such a manner that it is vertically moveable rather than through an arcuate configuration.
The upper jaw member preferably has two finger portions which are adapted to contact the skate blade and preferably, the jaw is pivotably mounted. The upper jaw edge is preferably of an arcuate configuration as it is fixedly attached to the upper pivot arm.
In use with a skate sharpening apparatus, the center line of the linearly moveable actuator lies in the same plane as the center line of the skate blade and the center line of the sharpening wheel for reasons which will become apparent hereinbelow.